I’ve been dreaming of visiting South of France for years now. Last month, my husband and I spent about a week in the French Riviera for our honeymoon. France is a hidden gem, amazed from its beauty, wonderful places and the French language of course.
Why you should visit the French Riviera?
This part of France is breathtaking; known for its incredible sea views, turquoise and clear water, picturesque towns and delicious food. It’s a great vibe and super easy to get around. In fact, my husband and I had rented a car here. There’s so many interesting things to do and see and that’s why this region of France is so special.
Where to stay in French Riviera?
We stayed at Chateau de la Chevre d’Or in Eze. Eze is 20 minutes away from Nice; between Nice and Monaco. This Chateau was absolutely breathtaking and to die for. From the exceptional customer service to the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea, I’m ready to retire here.
From the beautiful infinity pool to the bar overlooking the sea; no matter what part of the resort you are at- there is always something that will bring you such aweee.
Eze is so dreamy. The views of the Mediterranean Sea. The hidden beaches. The beautiful gardens where it overlooks the crystal clear turquoise waters. It’s a gem.
Papaya Beach was one of the many beaches close to our chateau in Eze. It was upbeat, super lively and relaxing. I highly recommend adding this beach to your itinerary. Most of the beaches here in the French Riviera have rocks instead of sand; some of them you will find with sand, for instance in Cannes.
The best location to stay in South of France is definitely Nice as it is home to some of the nicest beaches, Promenade des Anglasis and some of the greatest food. We found Nice to be a bit more on the touristy aspect of things where hotels can be a bit expensive. However, because this was our honeymoon, we wanted some relaxation time and we felt that staying in Eze with a villa overlooking the sea was a good choice.
Things to see in French Riviera
Nice
Nice is the main city of the French Riviera. It’s known for the long beach with turquoise waters, old picturesque streets of the old town, wonderful architecture and some of the best food. From Nice, you can easily move around the French Riviera.
Here are some of my top picks for what to see in Nice:
Port Lympia which is surrounded by Venetian-colored buildings
Castle Hill for the amazing views of the city
Place Massena
Old Town Nice
Strolling the famous Promenade des Anglasis
From delicious cuisines to beautiful views, Nice is extremely underrated. One of my favorite places we ate at in Nice was Monsieur Albert in Place Massena. Their hot dogs were to die for. There are several options to choose from and customize from; whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong. They will make your mouth water.
Apart from Monsieur Albert, all the food we’ve tried in Nice was to die for. From, La Popote D’ondine’s breakfast to Gigi Tavola Autenica delicious Italian dinner, every place deserves beyond 5 stars.
Villafranche-Sur-Mer
This small, picturesque town full of narrow streets and pastel colored buildings was by far my favorite town in the French Riviera. This is a place definitely worth your visit. It’s quite easy accessible from Nice and if you are staying in Eze, its right between the two towns. I fell in love with the panoramic views of Villafranche-Sur-Mer, with all these picturesque houses rising up behind the crystal clear turquoise sea.
Villafranche highlights that I highly recommend are wandering the streets of this small town. Pull over for a view on the road Boulevard Napoleon III, just outside of the town and soak up these breath taking panoramic views. And have some time to soak in the views at the beach.
Cannes
Apart from Nice, you can do a day trip to Cannes or spend a few days there if you have more time. Cannes is a great stop if you want to do shopping and while Cannes is mostly well-known for their Film Festival; which takes place every year. There are plenty of beautiful places to see in Cannes.
Here are some of my top picks to see in Cannes:
Exploring the streets of Old Town
White sandy beaches and the Cannes Port
Day trip to St. Tropez
There are plenty of cute beach restaurant bars in Cannes so pop into one and have a glass of Aperol Spirtz.
Monaco
The lavish, the raceway for Grand Prix, the Casino, the Yacht show held here every year….what’s not to love about Monaco?
Here are some of my top picks of what to do in Monaco:
Prince’s Palasis
Explore Old Town Monaco
Casino Monte-Carlo
Fontvieille district
The Exotic Garden with its cave
Walking around the harbor and admiring some of the biggest yachts in the world
The Principality of Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world. It is a country in which there is only one city, and its most popular district is Monte Carlo. Monaco is famous for its wealth – billionaires from all over the world have apartments here.
The Hollywood actress, Grace Kelly, lived in the principality and married Prince Rainier III, becoming Princess of Monaco. Her story is almost like a fairy tale and to this day attracts crowds of tourists wanting to visit the grave of Princess Grace of Monaco.
Monaco has an area half the size of Central Park in Manhattan, but there are around 38 thousand residents living here.
South France should definitely be added onto your bucket list for your next travel to Europe. You won’t be disappointed, I can promise you sweetie!
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